To find year 11 a difficult year group ?

[Trinity20]

Obviously this will depend on the school and other factors but, the year 11 in my new school are mostly awful, in terms of behaviour and attitude to learning.
I have been told this particular cohort of students are just difficult, and the year 7-10 have honestly shown so much more maturity.
I'm on long-term supply and have 2 year 11 classes. The other year groups have been fab, obviously not perfect but every student with the exception of 1 or 2 completed the work.
We were meant to be going through past papers and 95% of students in a class of 15 were doing nothing, a group of girls were making cones out of their papers, people were getting out of their seat, and acting like they could do whatever they wanted.
I asked one student if she could please stop slouching at the desk and she barked, "You don't need to speak to me like that."
A group of girls were making bitchy comments about the way I look and i heard one say "oh fuck off" when I gave instructions.
I issued a lot of C1s and had 3 students removed with on call.
I ended up giving them a lecture about this being their GCSE year, I was very surprised by their lack of maturity and they really needed to put in the work, that I was there to help them.
I just found it amazing that they have a GCSE in 4 months and thought they could sit and chat for an hour.
I made it clear to them I wasn't just there for the day, that I wouldn't tolerate messing about and would be reporting issues back to their regular teacher.
I even tried to be reasonable saying we would watch something for the last 10 minutes.
Anyone else had year 11 classes like this ? It could be that they were just trying it on but as I say, the other year groups were fantastic compared to them, these just had a terrible attitude.

Thank you for the help I feel better now, just needed to vent before as they were so awful. I'll try the suggestions given, there is another Cover Supervisor who they will know more than me, but she is not a Maths specialist.

Good luck op. Cover supervisors aren't supposed to be used for long term absences.
There aren't enough maths teachers around so the school are doing what they can.
I always find Y9 the worst. Max twatiness

Thanks. I think it will be for less than a month so not sure if that counts as 'long term' as such but at the moment I am being asked to mark the work. If they start asking me to plan then I will request a pay rise.

Whatever they're going to do after GCSEs, they will need maths skills. Could you engage them by asking them what they plan to do, and illustrating how their maths will fit into that? And maybe pointing out that some of them might end up resitting maths if they don't do the work now.

I can’t believe they are paying you as a cover supervisor and expecting you to mark. Well, actually, I can - loads of schools do it. It’s cheeky, though.

Yeah, maybe I should say something about that.

If the HOD has gone, how are they monitoring you?

Nobody is monitoring me really :/ but the HOD will be back in a couple of weeks.

Well, I hesitate to say “don’t mark” because obviously the students need the feedback, but you are within your rights just to cover.

Regardless of what they are taking after GCSES they need to pass Maths to move on. Do they realise this and do they know they may to have to resit? Perhaps have a one to one with each student about their current level of work and what they need to do to get their target GCSEs.

All credit to you OP! I did short term cover supply and it was exhausting and soul destroying! Keep at it and once they get to know you then they will probably come round. Glass of wine for Friday for you!

Thank you ! I agree but I will mark as I don't want them to fall behind. However feel like I may have to do some planning too as the cover work is often just a worksheet and not very inspiring.
Hopefully things will improve once they get to know me !

I think if we as parents are giving our kids the message that if they don't 'know and trust' a person who is teaching them, that gives them free rein to be disrespectful and disruptive, we're doing our kids one hell of a disservice. I expect my kids to be respectful and focused, to do their best to get the best they can from a teacher and a class.

I trust that the school and the teacher are doing their best, unless I see a hell of a lot more evidence to the contrary.

I can understand your frustration OP and am a bit surprised they are like this in Y11, although I think there is also an element of being top of the school (if it's 11-16 and even if there is a sixth form) and being a bit full of themselves as a consequence.

However, you need to be clear that swearing won't be tolerated - follow the school's behaviour policy to the letter and that they need to do it. A friend who is an English teacher is pretty clear to her students - they've got to do it, they need the GCSE for their futures and so they've got to put up with her. Firm but fair usually wins kids over - it was certainly the case for me and DH.

I do wonder however, why the school hasn't put established teachers into Y11 classes - that's no criticism of your teaching at all, but DS found it frustrating when he lost teachers half way through his GCSE years for two of his options and was given new teachers for both as they were options but I think I'd have expected a reshuffle of teachers for one of the core subjects where they have more teachers.

Perhaps have a one to one with each student about their current level of work and what they need to do to get their target GCSEs

Great idea but when on earth is the OP supposed to fit that in - to her timetable and theirs?

"I do wonder however, why the school hasn't put established teachers into Y11 classes "
Lots of schools set y11 and have all y11 maths classes on at the same time.